A brush fire exploded across the high desert of northern Los Angeles County on Friday, sending up smoke visible for miles and pushing residents from their homes.
The fire
The Summit Fire had grown to more than 2,600 acres with no containment established, after breaking out around 12:50 p.m. Friday near Jesus Canyon Road and East Avenue Z in Llano, a community along the Los Angeles-San Bernardino County line, ABC7 reported. The fire grew quickly in triple-digit heat, racing across more than 1,300 acres in its first hours and continuing to expand into the evening and overnight.
Evacuations
Fire officials issued an evacuation order for the area around East Avenue Z and Fort Tejon Road, with evacuation warnings in nearby areas as the flames advanced, ABC7 reported. Residents in and around Llano were urged to leave promptly and to monitor official alerts, given how fast the fire was moving.
Damage and response
At least one structure was destroyed and some outbuildings were damaged, though no injuries had been reported as of Friday evening, ABC7 reported. Crews mounted an aggressive aerial attack, with at least 10 air tankers dispatched to drop water and retardant as the fire threatened homes in its path. The cause was not immediately known.
What to watch
As with any fast-moving wildfire, the acreage and the extent of the damage were likely to change through the evening as the fire burned and crews worked to get lines around it. The blaze is the latest to flare in a hot, dry stretch across Southern California, where the Antelope Valley's brush and Joshua-tree terrain can carry flames quickly. Officials urged residents to heed evacuation orders and not to wait to leave.
